Black Hole (song)
{{Infobox song
| name = Black Hole
| cover = Griff - Black Hole.png
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Griff
| album = One Foot in Front of the Other
| released = {{Start date|2021|01|18|df=yes}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 3:20
| label = Warner
| writer = {{hlist|Sarah Faith Griffiths|Peter Rycroft|Frederik Castenschiold Eichen}}
| producer = Lostboy
| prev_title = Love Is a Compass
| prev_year = 2020
| next_title = One Foot in Front of the Other
| next_year = 2021
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|B2SK_jb68dk|"Black Hole"}}}}
}}
"Black Hole" is a song by British singer-songwriter Griff, from her mixtape One Foot in Front of the Other. The song is written by Griff, Peter Rycroft, and Frederik Castenschiold Eichen and produced by Lostboy. The song was released on 18 January 2021 on the Warner Records label.{{cite web | url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/griff-shares-new-dark-pop-anthem-black-hole-2859583 | title=Griff shares new dark pop anthem ‘Black Hole’ | work=NME | date=19 January 2021 | accessdate=12 May 2021 | author=Lim, Eddy | archive-date=21 March 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321161219/https://www.nme.com/news/music/griff-shares-new-dark-pop-anthem-black-hole-2859583 | url-status=live }}
Background and production
After a string of releases in 2020 from "Good Stuff" to "Love Is a Compass" which provided Griff with her first UK chart entry, "Black Hole" serves as Griff's first and only release in 2021 thus far. Being penned by Griff herself, when talking about the song with media company "The Forty-Five" Griff stated “Some people might listen to it and think, ‘Oh, these lyrics are quite deep, but I think I was trying to make them so melodramatic that there’s humor about them, It’s finding the humor in your own heartbreak. There’s obviously not a big black hole where my heart used to be.”{{Cite web|url=https://thefortyfive.com/interviews/griff-interview-2021/|title=Griff Cover Story|accessdate=24 May 2021|archive-date=25 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525043839/https://thefortyfive.com/interviews/griff-interview-2021/|url-status=live}}
Critical reception and performance
Rachael Jansky of "Ones to Watch" stated "Griff personifies the emptiness of losing someone, relating it to an all-consuming black hole. While a bit melodramatic, it perfectly captures just how overwhelming it can be to process a break-up and put yourself back together. The song's production is flooded with a bouncy synth and punchy drum beat, a darker twist on Griff's typical bright poppy sound. Showcasing her versatility and lyrical maturity, "Black Hole" alludes to Griff's inevitable stardom."{{Cite web|url=https://www.onestowatch.com/blog/griff-seeks-escapism-and-fantasy-in-black-hole|title=Griff Seeks Escapism and Fantasy in "Black Hole" Music Video|accessdate=24 May 2021|archive-date=25 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525045035/https://www.onestowatch.com/blog/griff-seeks-escapism-and-fantasy-in-black-hole|url-status=live}} Robin Murray of "CLASH" wrote a few words about the track stating "The songwriter opened January with a bang, landing a prime spot in the BBC Sound Of 2021 poll. New single 'Black Hole' builds on this, and it might well be Griff's finest moment to date."{{Cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/news/griff-embraces-melodrama-on-superb-new-single-black-hole|title=Griff Embraces Melodrama On Superb New Single 'Black Hole'|accessdate=24 May 2021|archive-date=25 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525045044/https://www.clashmusic.com/news/griff-embraces-melodrama-on-superb-new-single-black-hole|url-status=live}}
To Date "Black Hole" is Griff's best performing song on the charts marking her first Irish chart entry and highest-peaking UK single peaking at 25 on the Irish Singles Chart and number 18 on the UK Singles Chart as well as 5 on the UK Top 100 Singles Downloads Chart.{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-downloads-chart/|title=Official Chart Company Top 100 Downloads|accessdate=25 May 2021|archive-date=26 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926221833/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-downloads-chart/|url-status=live}} Griff performed the song on “Late Night With Seth Meyers” which served as the first televised live performance of the song on March 22, 2021. The performance was later posted to Griff’s YouTube channel on May 19.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxVl2S1NTOs|title=Griff - Black Hole (Live Performance from Late Night with Seth Meyers)|accessdate=25 May 2021 |via=YouTube}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbc.com/late-night-with-seth-meyers/video/griff-black-hole/4331983|title=Watch Late Night with Seth Meyers Highlight: Griff: Black Hole|accessdate=25 May 2021|archive-date=25 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525062742/https://www.nbc.com/late-night-with-seth-meyers/video/griff-black-hole/4331983|url-status=live}} She also performed the song for the second time on live television on May 11, at the 2021 Brit Awards, where she was nominated for and won the Brit Award for Rising Star.{{cite web | url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/9570724/griff-black-hole-brit-awards-2021 | title=Griff Performs 'Black Hole' & Accepts Rising Star Award at 2021 Brit Awards | work=Billboard | date=11 May 2021 | accessdate=12 May 2021 | author=Mamo, Heran |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512023728/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/9570724/griff-black-hole-brit-awards-2021/ |archive-date=12 May 2021 |url-status=dead}}
Personnel
Credits adapted from YouTube Music.{{cite web|title=Black Hole / Griff|url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=LtUiLvskKD0|accessdate=25 May 2021|archive-date=25 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525060939/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtUiLvskKD0|url-status=live}}
- Sarah Faith Griffiths – vocals, songwriting
- Jez Coad – production, Keyboards, Bass Programmer, Drum Programmer
- Frederik Castenschiold Eichen – songwriting
- Peter Rycroft – songwriting
- Dan Grech-Marguerat – mixing
- Chris Gehringer – mastering
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for "Black Hole" ! scope="col"| Chart (2021) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{single chart|Flanders Tip|28|artist=Griff|song=Black Hole|rowheader=true|access-date=25 May 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Ireland4|25|date=20210625|rowheader=true|access-date=13 November 2021}} |
| scope="row"| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/hot-singles/2021-06-25|title=NZ Hot Singles Chart|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|date=28 June 2021|access-date=26 June 2021|archive-date=25 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625221445/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/hotsingles?chart=5103|url-status=live}}
| 16 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Poland|63|chartid=3794|year=2021|rowheader=true|access-date=5 July 2021}} |
| {{single chart|UK|18|date=20210528|rowheader=true|access-date=28 May 2021}} |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Black Hole"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|artist=Griff|title=Black Hole|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2021|certyear=2023|access-date=30 November 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Griff|title=Black Hole|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2021|certyear=2022|id=16570-5321-2|access-date=11 July 2022|refname=BPI}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Release history for "Black Hole" !Region !Date !Format !Label |
| scope="row"| Various
| 18 January 2021 | {{hlist|Digital download|streaming}} | Warner |
|---|